LAKE WHATCOM’S
WATER QUALITY
THE HISTORY OF
Lake WHATCOM
Being a HIP-approved professional will provide your business with access to a pool of clients that are both motivated to complete a HIP project and looking to hire a qualified and trusted professional to do the work. Homeowners participating in HIP will be provided with a budget and a list of companies to which that budget can be applied. Only certified professionals will be named on that list. In addition, the projects that HIP promotes are commonly part of major projects by both private developers and government agencies, state-wide. Your business could be well-prepared to win that big job if you have experience designing or building these types of facilities.
CLEANING UP
Lake whatcom
Current and historical uses and activities in the watershed result in numerous challenges. Stormwater, nutrients, bacteria, aquatic invasive species, heavy metal pollution, hydrocarbons, pesticides, and climate change are all contributing to the decline in health of the lake. Of primary importance is the excess nutrient phosphorus, generated by residential properties and conveyed to the lake through public infrastructure, which has caused a significant decrease in dissolved oxygen levels in the water column and seasonal algal blooms on the surface. In 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency finalized the Lake Whatcom Total Maximum Daily Load study, which is a 30- to 50-year cleanup effort focused on reducing phosphorus inputs to Lake Whatcom by nearly 87%.
HOW HIP HELPS
WATER QUALITY RESTORATION
The restoration of water quality in the Lake Whatcom watershed is a major undertaking projected to take up to 50 years to complete. The city and county build stormwater treatment facilities that filter pollutants like phosphorus and bacteria out of runoff before it enters the lake. These facilities are built in public road rights-of-way and other publicly-owned property. Crews regularly maintain these facilities and drainage systems to ensure they are working properly to clean and convey water.
We can’t restore water quality in Lake Whatcom with these public treatment facilities alone. Additional work is needed to cleanup the runoff from private properties, voluntarily, by the homeowners living there. The HIP helps residents install projects that protect and improve water quality, through both financial and technical assistance. These projects can be easily integrated into the existing landscape and allow the property owner to utilize their property how they want.
Consult the Lake Whatcom Management Program for more information about the ongoing programs and efforts to protect and preserve Lake Whatcom.